We've been bugged!

November 11, 2007 11:01 AM

Yep, it's yet another I found this scary-looking bug in the garage question. What is it?
posted by eschatfische to Pets & Animals (11 answers total)

Best answer: Not another potato bug? My goodness, it's the third one in as many months.
posted by ikkyu2 at 11:04 AM on November 11, 2007

Best answer: That there is a Jerusalem cricket.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 11:05 AM on November 11, 2007

Response by poster: It is. Thanks, guys! It's hard to search on the image of such a creepy-looking guy -- perhaps it should become the AskMe mascot.
posted by eschatfische at 11:08 AM on November 11, 2007

I've never even seen one except on these AskMe questions, although I used to know a little old Southern lady who loved to talk about the "potato bugs." I wonder if they gain some evolutionary advantage from being so weird-looking? They're clearly optimized to make mammals think they must be dangerous and poisonous.
posted by ikkyu2 at 11:19 AM on November 11, 2007

These kind of threads would be simpler if people just stated what part of the world they were posting from.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 11:23 AM on November 11, 2007

YES! to the AskMe mascot suggestion!

That would be so perfect!
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:49 AM on November 11, 2007

Funny fact, in Spanish (in Mexico at least) they are called Cara de niño (Childface).
posted by micayetoca at 11:53 AM on November 11, 2007

Since someone was gonna do it... previously, previously, previously.
posted by cacophony at 11:54 AM on November 11, 2007

I gotta admit, that's one of the scarier things I've seen today.
posted by DMan at 12:24 PM on November 11, 2007

Invaders from Outer Space. And they are clearly targeting MeFites.
posted by nax at 2:56 PM on November 11, 2007

I actually think it's kinda cute for a bug.
posted by Jess the Mess at 11:04 AM on November 12, 2007